Has this losing streak already doomed this season?

[kas23]

4 hours ago, pi2000 said:

Players like Muel simply are not available for trade, they're too valuable.    

What worries me is they don't have anybody else like him in the pipeline.... Komarov or Novikov maybe?   Don't know those 2 well enough.

Yeah, we have no one on the pipeline that’s going to help in the next 1-2 seasons. These types of players seem to take longer to develop. So, it comes down to a trade. 
 

It’s not like we’re looking for a flashy, offensive defenseman. I think a trade may be out there. There’s anonymous team execs would laughed at the contract we gave Muel. So, there may be some degree of undervaluing such a player. It’s going to come down to a team with excess D prospects and a lack of forwards. And we may even have to overpay, which I why I’d make most on the team available. 

[Refuting]

43 minutes ago, LGR4GM said:

And yet you brought it up and claim you're right. 

Those are the 2 I'd think of. Idk if they'll become Muel but yes, that's their hopeful trajectory 

Do you just wake up angry everyday breh 

[Thorner]

10 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

The Sabres are 8-11. There are 63 games to go, but I’m sorry to say, the Sabres odds of making the playoffs are nearly zero.  In fact they have to play at an over 104 pt pace the rest of the way to even have a chance.  The Sabres need to go 37-20-6 the rest of the way to get to 96 pts.  Last year 96 points would have fallen short of the playoffs, but in most normal years, 96 points would put the team as one of the last ones in.  

So can this team make such a run? While the 102 point pace late last season says it is possible, with NJ and Bos playing dominate hockey and another 8 teams playing solid to excellent hockey in the East, the Sabres task is nearly overwhelming.  The only way I see it happening is for the team to start a 5 or 6 game winning streak and soon.  

Take heart patient Sabres fan, fearless leader KA said this was another developmental year.  

 

Ya I mean, the math is against it, but the math is also against a long winning streak. So like you point out, string together a good one and it balances out: then you just have to play as a good team overall for all the other games, also against the odds considering our record: but there are extenuating circumstances (like being a young team) that should help. 
 

In truth, losing 8 straight IS a big blow, historically teams that do that don’t make it. But it’s not a be all end all and I’d say we have a reasonable shot to at least making it interesting, which we haven’t managed for all together too long 

[Thorner]

6 hours ago, kas23 said:

I’m not worried about the Sabres missing the playoffs this year. What I need to see though, is them seriously competing for a spot. I need to see them in the race and not having the season essentially over by February or March. 

I’m here too. 
I’d love for them to make it but it’s not the expectation. I expect them to put together a season that’s legitimately interesting all year re: playoffs being strictly plausible 

[Thorner]

5 hours ago, Curt said:

Yeah, I was 9 and not a fan yet.

86 birthday? 

[Curt]

7 minutes ago, Thorny said:

86 birthday? 

Yes sir.

[Thorner]

6 minutes ago, Curt said:

Yes sir.

Same. Did seem for whatever reason like our sabres era experiences lined up haha 
 

I remember the 95-96 season well though, just on an entire of different level lol. More along the lines of looking at the scores in the newspaper the day after 

Edited November 24, 2022 by Thorny

[Doohicksie]

4 hours ago, Toilet_Mop said:

Do you just wake up angry everyday breh 

No.  The Sabres do this to him.

 

Every morning.

[matter2003]

No, just try and not lose multiple defensemen at the same time and they will be OK I think 

[JoeSchmoe]

As I type this:

The Sabres are 2nd in the league in GF...

Yes, 2nd in the league in GF.

[GASabresIUFAN]

NHL Tonight had a chart showing that in the last 4 full seasons, 75% of the teams in a playoff slot on American Thanksgiving remain in a playoff slot for the season.  

[Marvin]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

NHL Tonight had a chart showing that in the last 4 full seasons, 75% of the teams in a playoff slot on American Thanksgiving remain in a playoff slot for the season.  

The Sabres also have the record for best winning percentage at Thanksgiving to miss the playoffs.  The 2010-1 Sabres had the worst record at Thanksgiving to make the playoffs.

[GASabresIUFAN]

Update:  The Sabres are 11-4-2 since my original post including the hoped for extended winning streak.  They now sit 19-15-2 with 40 points.  Still out of a playoff spot, but significantly closer.  Because of the lousy weather, the Sabres also have games in hand over all their rivals for the final playoff spots.  The team’s rebound coincides with getting most of the D back, continued dominate play for Tuch and TNT, and UPL coming up and playing very well.

As is stands, the Sabres are 9 points behind TB for the final Atlantic playoff spot with 2 games in hand.

As to the wild card, the Sabres are 10 points behind Washington (6 games in hand), 6 behind the NYI (5 games in hand), and 2 points behind Pitt (2 games in hand).  Based on winning % the Sabres are virtually tied with the NYI.  Outside of Wash who is 7–1-2 in their last 10, Buffalo is the hottest of the 4 teams and just beat Wash.

The upcoming schedule is tough with 4 games a week for the next 3 weeks after tonights game.  The schedule includes 2 games each against Min and Wpg plus Fla, Sea, Dal and the NYI.  Come out of this next 13 games 9-3-1 and we may just be knocking on the playoff door with 4 weeks until the trade deadline.  Fingers crossed.